He Said, She Said
Page 7
“It was really good. Where’d you learn how to cook like that?”
“T-Diddy can’t tell his secrets.”
“Seriously, enough with the T-Diddy this and T-Diddy that.”
“When I was seven. I was at my cousin’s house for Christmas, and she got a Betty Crocker oven. That joint was fire.” I try not to laugh out loud but am unsuccessful. Mr. Football used to play with a Betty Crocker oven. Wow!
“Did you play with her Barbie also?” I laugh.
“Don’t hate. I baked in that joint all day. Cried when I had to go home.”
“Awwww!”
“My dad wouldn’t buy me one, but my mom let me watch her cook dinner every night. I’ve been cooking ever since. Only reason I started playing ball was because my dad wanted to toughen me up.”
“So you don’t even like football?”
“I love football. I just love cooking, too. It’s sorta like if you had kids, could you love one more than the other? Not possible.”
“If you were one of the kids, then yeah, very possible,” I say, and playfully jab him in the stomach. His abs are rock hard. “Nice, uh, shirt.” Oh my!
“Look, no flirting. This is not a date. We’re meeting, remember?” he says, catching me off guard. I punch him in his arm. That’s twice I’ve touched him in five seconds. I’m feeling some kind of way. He throws his arm over the couch behind me. When did he get this close? I slide back a little. His arms are trees.
“So what’s the plan, Mr. Football?” I ask, inching away a little more. You’re not slick, Omar.
“Simple. We keep it up. Every day we add five minutes to the protest. Eventually they’re going to decide to do the right thing.”
“What if they don’t? What if it goes on for like weeks?”
“All that is good and accomplished in this world takes work.”
“Who said that?”
“Me. Just now.” I smirk at him. “I don’t know, I read it somewhere.”
If it wasn’t for the piece of basil lodged in his front teeth, the awkward moment might get the best of me. I should tell him. Not.
“Look, I tweeted it right before you got here. And I posted it on Facebook. It’s on for tomorrow, Claudia. You would have known that if you’d accepted my friend request.”
“I think we should give the principal our demands.”
“Ya think?”
“We should give her a list of things we expect her and the school board to do. Jobs reinstated. Arts funding restored, all that.”
“You think that will work?”
“I don’t know, but eventually they are going to ask us to stop the silent protest, and we’re going to tell them we will, but only if—”
“They meet our demands. Right! That’s what’s up, Claudia Clarke. You’re a pro at this revolution stuff.”
Why is it so hot in here?
“What’s the end goal?” I ask him, sweat tickling under my arms. “Are we going to be able to save the teachers’ jobs?” He puts his left leg on the couch. It brushes mine. “We’ve got to get the arts funding back. Why is it so hot in here?” He wipes my forehead. “Will this really do anything?” I’m talking so much, so many questions, I don’t even see him until he’s inches away from me. My hair drapes his chest. I can smell the sweat on his head. His mustache tickles the air between us. And then it happens.
He takes a finger and softly slides my hair from my face, and around my neck, just like he did at my locker. He does this two times, not saying anything. The basil is still there, but it’s not funny anymore. I can’t move. Did he give me one of those date-rape drugs? Seriously, I’m paralyzed. Now he moves his fingers up to my bottom lip and rubs it slowly. Then he kisses me. Or tries to. Right before the front door opens.
“Good thing I forgot my wallet.” In the second it takes me to turn my head and see Omar’s uncle roll in the front door, Omar defies time and space and circumstance. He sneaks a kiss. It happens so fast. It is soft and hard and now my heart is about to jump out of my chest. Or the palm of my hand is about to collide with his face.
“Uh-oh, Al, they got on Usher. That there is baby-making music,” I hear someone say.
Embarrassment doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.
“I have to get home,” I say, grabbing my jacket and sprinting for the door.
“You ain’t gotta leave on account of Spooky. He was just messin’.”
“Hole up, hole up! Claudia, wait,” I hear Omar say, but I ignore him.
I’m five minutes away when I realize I’m not wearing any shoes.
Omar
Tdiddy Smalls Fifteen minutes at silent protest 2morrow. Happy birthday, Dr. King #SpeakUpNow
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Luther Lee Hey, Omar, you’re a cool dude. Count me in.
Wednesday at 5:05 pm via mobile · Like
Eve Chappell I AM VERY PROUD OF U!!!
Wednesday at 5:05 pm · Like
Andy Washington No justice, no peace! I’m down with the cause.
Wednesday at 5:21 pm · Like
Savannah Gadsden ☺
Wednesday at 5:21 pm · Like
Freddie Callaway Savannah, that’s Mr. Washington, the government teacher. Bwahahahahahaha!
Wednesday at 5:23 pm · Like
Savannah Gadsden Really? ROFLAICGU!
Wednesday at 5:24 pm · Like
Kym King And to think . . . I almost believed him this time around.
Wednesday at 9:10 pm · Like
Kym King L
Wednesday at 9:55 pm via Mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls My bad. I had a meeting.
Wednesday at 10:40 pm · Like
Freddie Calloway Bong bong?
Wednesday at 11:31 pm · Unlike · You like this.
Freddie Callaway Dawg, you see Mr. Washington on your page. Creepy.
Wednesday at 11:35 pm · Like
Andy Washington Hey, Freddie.
Wednesday at 11:36 pm · Like
Freddie Callaway Bwahahahahahaha!
Wednesday at 11:36 pm · Like
Andy Washington Hey, what does ROFLAICGU mean?
Wednesday at 11:37 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls What up, Mr. Washington. No offense, but how you get up here?
Wednesday at 11:37 pm · Like
Andy Washington I sent you a friend request and you accepted. I’m number 4751. You got a lot of friends, Omar.
Wednesday at 11:38 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls *Rolling on the floor laughing and I can’t get up*
Wednesday at 11:40 pm · Like
Andy Washington Oh, I get it. Ha ha! Just trying to stay hip, Omar. Gotta go. Bong bong!
Wednesday at 11:40 pm · Like
Blu McCants Let me find out you can cook.
Wednesday at 11:40 pm · Unlike · You like this.
Freddie Callaway *Trying to stay hip* Bwahahahahaha! *
Wednesday at 11:41 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Freddie, did that woadie just say *bong bong* LOLOL!
Wednesday at 11:41 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Got to risk it to get the biscuit.
Wednesday at 11:42 pm via mobile · Like
Blu McCants For real though, thanks for doing this with my girl. #silent treatment.
Wednesday at 11:46 pm · Like
Andy Washington What is a woadie?
Thursday at 1:36 am · Like
Playbeezy Carolina Hood Woadie > Tdiddy Smalls Everybody go check out the new single “We Stealin’ Yo Babies” Feat. Ricky Rozay and Hoe Daddy by PlayBeezy. Free downloads available as well. . . . Go listen to it, support the CHUCKTOWN movement.
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Freddie Callaway Go to sleep nucka!
&n
bsp; Thursday at 3:34 am via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Bwahahahahahahaha!
Thursday at 3:34 am · Like
Belafonte Jones > Tdiddy Smalls Who’s riding with the Marching Panthers?
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You like this.
Belafonte Jones Save the band!
Thursday at 7:33 am · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Ride.
Thursday at 7:34 am · Like
Tami Hill Ride.
Thursday at 7:34 am · Like
Eve Chappell Ride.
Thursday at 7:36 am · Like
Leah Rivers Ride.
Thursday at 7:37 am · Like
Freddie Callaway Ride.
Thursday at 7:37 am · Like
Blu McCants Ride.
Thursday at 7:38 am · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Shhhhhhhhhhhhh! #SpeakUpNow
Unlike · Comment · Share · @DaRealTDiddy · Thursday at 8:14 am ·
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Belafonte Jones Thanks to everyone who supported the silent protest, includingthe teachers who rode with us!
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Tdiddy Smalls We did the damn thing today. Martin Luther King would be proud of WCHS today! We back on that joint tomorrow! Heading to the gym to get my lift on. #SpeakUpNow
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Luther Lee Power to the people.
Thursday at 5:51 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls The party just started, homeboy.
Thursday at 5:51 pm · Like
Sami Schmidt Mr. Smalls, I’m the president of the Deep Creek SGA and we heard about the protest. We want to do the same.
Thursday at 5:52 pm · Like
Luther Lee We fired up. . . .
Thursday at 5:52 pm via mobile · Like
Belafonte Jones We ain’t takin’ no mo’!!!!!!!
Thursday at 5:52 pm · Like
Tami Hill I miss the band.
Thursday at 5:52 pm · Like
Blu McCants True.
Thursday at 5:52 pm · Like
Freddie Callaway I did the math. We keep dis up for like three weeks, and ain’t nobody saying ish all day.
Thursday at 5:53 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Me and Claudia don’t think it’s going to take three weeks.
Thursday at 5:54 pm · Like
Leah Rivers Take three weeks for what?
Thursday at 5:54 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls For us to get what we want. We have a list of demands.
Thursday at 5:54 pm · Like
Freddie Callaway I hope you got cookies and cream on that list.
Thursday at 5:54 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls **SMH**
Thursday at 5:54 pm · Like
Sami Schmidt Mr. Smalls, our funding got cut for the arts too. Our drama department is one of the best in the state and now we no longer have it. Everybody is pissed.
Thursday at 5:55 pm · Like
Willie Mack *Mr. Smalls* As if his head ain’t big enough.
Thursday at 5:55 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls That’s what’s up, Sami. I’ll let Claudia know.
Thursday at 5:56 pm · Like
Kym King That’s why you ain’t come over? That Claudia Clarke trick.
Thursday at 5:57 pm · Like
Kym King Sooo beyond irritated at this point . . . I shoulda known she was scheming at that party . . . stuck-up trick . . . her and her butch best friend.
Thursday at 5:57 pm · Like
Freddie Callaway WOW!
Thursday at 5:57 pm · Like
Blu McCants Females wonder why I give them absolutely NO respect. . . . It’s about time I step out of character at West Charleston. . . . That will put an end to all this nonsensical drama. . . . **cocking my chamber**
Thursday at 5:57 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls @Kym why you trippin’. That’s foul! You just played yourself.
Thursday at 5:59 pm · Like
Blu McCants Omar, you betta check your girl.
Thursday at 5:59 pm · Like
Blu McCants I can’t deal with these insecure females. . . . Only in the country is this acceptable.
Thursday at 5:59 pm · Like
Willie Mack What happened to “We Shall Overcome”?
Thursday at 5:59 pm · Like
Freddie Callaway Ol’ girl went sideways.
Thursday at 5:59 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Sorry ’bout that y’all.
Thursday at 5:59 pm · Like
Fredro Parcel, Jr. Omar, this Fredro from the U. We met on your recruiting weekend. Yo, your FB joints be funny as hell. How are your off-season workouts going?
Thursday at 6:13 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Two hundred sit-ups. Now I’m gonna eat, take a shower. Who wanna tuck Tdiddy in tonight?
Thursday at 9:40 pm · Like
Tami Hill What time?
Thursday at 9:55 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Hate to sound sleazy, but tease me, I don’t want it if it’s that easy. . . .
Thursday at 10:06 pm · Like
Rich Smalls YOU TRIP ME OUT w/ all yo dumb statuses and how you have so many girls after you . . . lol
Thursday at 10:11 pm · Like
Tdiddy Smalls What up, cuz!
Thursday at 10:11 pm · Like
Rich Smalls Playa
Thursday at 10:12 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls You holding down BK. I miss the Apple, fo’ sho.
Thursday at 10:12 pm · Like
Rich Smalls Look like you holdin’ it down in Charleston.
Thursday at 10:12 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls You know how we do. You living large, homeboy?
Thursday at 10:12 pm · Like
Rich Smalls Son, I make it do what it do. Pushing that Tahoe.
Thursday at 10:13 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls Your mom’s. LOL!
Thursday at 10:14 pm · Like
Rich Smalls Don’t sleep, Omar. I do my thing.
Thursday at 10:14 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls That’s whas up! I’m coming home for spring break.
Thursday at 10:15 pm · Like
Rich Smalls I’ll holla. My break’s over and somebody just came thru the drive-thru.
Thursday at 10:15 pm via mobile · Like
Tdiddy Smalls is now friends with Claudia Clarke and 11 other people.
You poked Claudia Clarke.
Tdiddy Smalls > Claudia Clarke Thanks for the add, homegirl!
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Tdiddy Smalls > Freddie Callaway I unfriended Kym and Mr. Washington. LOL!
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Chat started Thursday, January 17
Claudia Clarke Stop poking me.
Tdiddy Smalls Return my call then.
Claudia Clarke Been busy
Tdiddy Smalls I looked for you at lunch today.
Tdiddy Smalls Your feet cold?
Claudia Clarke Whatever.
Tdiddy Smalls It’s all good! You have a good time?
Claudia Clarke Please don’t say anything to anybody about what happened.
Tdiddy Smalls What happened?
Claudia Clarke Don’t play dumb. You tried to kiss me.
Tdiddy Smalls Actually, homegirl, I did kiss you. How was it for you?
Claudia Clarke It doesn’t even matter.
Tdiddy Smalls Exactly!
Tdiddy Smalls You still there?
Claudia Clarke Whatever! I’m here.
Tdiddy Smalls The protest was pretty tight, right? Even some of the teachers joined
in. That’s what’s up!
Claudia Clarke My guidance counselor said the principal was pissed. She asked me was I involved. I told her not really.
Tdiddy Smalls You punked out? Cru scared you, homegirl.
Tdiddy Smalls S . . . L . . . O . . . W . . . T . . . Y . . . P . . . A
Tdiddy Smalls ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZ
Claudia Clarke She just said I needed to be careful, because Harvard might rescind my acceptance if I have some negative conduct-type stuff on my transcript.
Tdiddy Smalls Yeah, my coach said the same thing, but no way Miami’s passing up on T-Diddy Smalls. Believe that! That’s cool you going to Harvard.
Claudia Clarke I know.
Tdiddy Smalls SMH . . . twenty minutes tomorrow. You ready?
Claudia Clarke I’m ready, are you?
Tdiddy Smalls T-Diddy can’t stop, won’t stop. Believe that!
Claudia Clarke Thanks for dinner. I gotta go.